Hermione Granger and the Philosophers Stone
by Twerd
Summary: Ever wondered what Hermione was thinking and doing in those bits you never see? Before she went to Hogwarts, before she was friends with Harry and Ron...well, here's your answer!
1. Chapter 1 cloaks in July

I was on the computer when I saw her walking up the path.

I like going on the computer. It's like going to the library without the walk. Mum always says I spend far too much time researching things, and shoulder get out more. But I like learning. I always think that one day I might need to know something, and if I don't know it I'll be in trouble.

Also, people always think of me as the person who knows the answer all the time. They'll think I'm some sort of idiot if there's some very important question which I can't answer.

The woman was wearing a long blue cloak, with red jeans and a stripy knitted jumper. She looked like a half-hearted attempt at a Halloween costume. I wondered how she could wear all that in the middle of July- it was sweltering hot. She was holding a long dark brown stick in her hand, and kept glancing at the watch on her wrist.

I heard the doorbell ring, and peered out of my window to take a good look at her. She was stood on the doorstep, dishwater blonde hair plaited in a way that didn't really suit her age; she must have been at least forty. She seemed to be humming, and tapping her foot on the doorstep.

There was the sound of the door opening, and Mum's surprised voice.

"Oh! Um, hello?"

The woman replied in a low pitched voice.

"Are you Mrs Granger?"

How did my Mum know this strange woman? No, wait. How did this strange woman know Mum?

"Yes, I am, but….er, who are you?"

"Charity Burbage, I'm here to talk to Hermione?"

What? I didn't know who this Burbage woman was! How did she know me?

I leaned back from the window, just as Mum shouted.

"Hermione! Door!"

I clicked the close button on my computer screen, and left my bedroom. My room is opposite the stairs, and I ran down them.

Mum was stood by the door, and Charity Burbage was stood grinning at me.

"Hello?" I said to her. Mum smiled at me, but I noticed it was rather forced. I could bet she was angry that I did not only know strange women who wore cloaks in summer, but actually invited them over to the house.

"Hello, Hermione. I'm Professor Burbage." She held out her hand. Mum looked confused.

"What is going on?" she asked. Professor Burbage smiled.

"I'm here to talk about Hermione."

Mum suddenly looked scared and worried. I could tell what was going through her mind (because I was probably thinking the same thing); how did this woman know anything about me? What was she up to?

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Mum said, quickly, starting to close the door.

"No, no, my dear lady, I'm here to talk about school."

Mum's expression cleared.

"You're from St Ursala's?"

I looked at this peculiar Professor. Was she from St Ursala's? If she was, it would be odd- St Ursala's was the best school in England. Why would they employ someone who was obviously insane and dressed like that?

"Goodness, no, I'm from Hogwarts- please, may I come in, it's quite hot out here…"

Mum sighed. I supposed she had decided to take pity on the mad woman.

"Yes, yes, sorry, come in, come in…"

Professor Burbage smiled at me, and entered the hall.

"Can I hang up your…er…cloak, Professor?" I asked.

"No, no, I'll keep it on…" She gazed around our hallway, with such a happy expression on her face you'd think she'd just walked into heaven. "I do love muggle houses…"

I stared at her. Muggle? That wasn't a word I had ever come across. Could it be something from another language?

"Er….shall we go through to the kitchen? Can I get you anything, tea, coffee?"

"Tea, please- and five sugars, if you don't mind, I'm rather partial to sweet tea."

I saw Mum grimace. Mum is a dentist, and so she's completely anti-sugar. But she's also a good host, so she put on the kettle and the sugar.

I sat down at the table opposite Professor Burbage. She smiled at me.

"So…which school are you going to, Hermione?" 

"St Ursala's," I said, proudly. "It's the best school in England."

She nodded vaguely. "Where's your dad? Does he live with you?"

"He's at the surgery." There was silence around while Mum brought out three Mugs and put tea bags in them. "Did you say you were from…Hogwarts?"

"Yes, my dear, I did."

"Is that a school?"

"Yes, that's what I'm here to talk about."

She didn't seem inclined to say much more, so I didn't ask anymore questions and we waited until Mum set the three cups on the table.

"So..." Mum sat down next to me, so it looked like a strange sort of interview.

"So." Professor Burbage smiled. "I'm here to talk about Hermione, and her school, and everything else."

"I…I don't really understand, Professor." 

She shook her head. "No, of course you don't." She sighed, and met my eyes. "You're a witch, Hermione."

I looked from Professor Burbage to my, Mum, and then I burst out laughing.


	2. Chapter 2  The letter from someone

Professor Burbage looked from me to mum as though she didn't understand the joke. She was still smiling stupidly.

"I'm sorry, I know this is a little hard to believe-" 

"Why are you _really _here, Mrs Burbage?" Mum asked, sipping her tea.

"That is why I am really here." She turned to me. "Hermione, Hogwarts, the school in question, is a school of witchcraft and wizardy... my dear, why are you looking at me like that? I have your acceptance letter, hold on-" 

"Acceptance letter? I didn't apply, sorry, Professor." I had read somewhere that if you ever meet someone insane it's always bet to go along with their stories. It just upsets them if you tell them the truth.

"I know, muggle-borns never do," She removed a black purse from the pocket. It was about three inches high and just as wide, yet when she put her hand in it, her entire arm seemed to disappear inside. It was like in Mary Poppins, the Disney film, when Mary Poppins pulled a lampshade out of a carpet bag. I wondered who she was doing it. I heard they use mirrors in most magic tricks. Where would the mirror be?

Finally, after a lengthy rummaging, she withdrew a rather ruffled envelope, made of thick yellow parchment, and, written on it in emerald green ink:

Miss Hermione Granger

Bedroom by the Stairs

3 Horlins Lane

Sturton-by-Stow

Nottinghamshire

England

I looked at Mum, who looked completely bewildered. I turned the letter over, to see that it was sealed with a wax stamp, like the rich Victorian families used to do. It had a crest, with a serpent, a badger, an eagle and a lion showing on it, all surrounding the letter 'H'.

Inside the envelope was a thick wad of yellowish parchment, on which was written, in the same green writing:

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.**  
** Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

**Yours Sincerely,  
Minerva McGonagall**

**All necessary books and equipment for first year students:**

UNIFORM  
**First-Year students will require:**

**Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

**One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

**One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

Please not that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS  
**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ **by Miranda Goshank**

_A History of Magic_ **by Bathilda Bagshot**

_Magical Theory_ **by Adalbert Waffling**

_A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration_ **by Emeric Switch**

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ **by Phyllida Spore**

_Magical Drafts and Potions_ **by Arsenius Jigger**

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ **by Newt Scamander**

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_ **by Quentin Trimble**

OTHER EQUIPMENT

**1 wand**

**1 cauldron (pewter, standard size)**

**1 set of glass or crystal phials**

**1 telescope**

**1 set of brass scales**

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

I re-read the letter, and then handed it to Mum. I then turned to Professor Burbage, who was still smiling at me. My mind was spinning. What was all this about? It wasn't real, of course not. I had taken extra curricular physics. Magic was impossible by all theories ever invented.

However, it wasn't this poor woman's fault she was clinically insane. I took pity on her.

"I'm sorry," I said, smiling back at her, "I don't think I can possibly be a….witch, Professor."

The Professor actually laughed.

"You know, Hagrid was telling me, Harry Potter was saying the exact same thing just the other day…" She chuckled at her own private joke. "It's the same with you, my dear. If you are not a witch, how on earth do you explain those extraordinary events that seem to take place all around you?"

"What…events?" I said, suddenly feeling a bit unsure. I knew what she was talking about.

"You're a bright girl, Hermione. You have noticed all those things that you can do, without being able to explain them?"

I opened my mouth to talk, then shut it (which is unusual because I'm not usually at a loss for words). The thing was, she was right. I did make unusual things happen. When I was six, and at a friends birthday party, this boy called Rory Baker was teasing me about my teeth (they're slightly larger than average. I've tried using a brace but it doesn't work) and then his hair turned green. I got into trouble because he told his mum I had put hair dye in his shampoo, which I hadn't. It was probably because he had had a strange allergic reaction to the cake.

And then, there was that time I had had my hair cut in a bob, which didn't really suit it; my hair is quite bushy, so when I cut it short it stuck out of my head at a funny angle and looked triangular. I hated it so much, even though Dad said it was sweet, but when I had woken up the next day it was back to normal. I had assumed this was because my hair has a mind of its own, anyway.

But stranger still was the time in year six, when I had been in Geography, and the teacher had told us that the population of the earth was 6 billion people. In actual fact, it's 6.6 billion, and when I corrected her, she got really angry and told me off for being a know-it-all. I get called that a lot but it still upsets me. I only try to be clever so people don't think I'm an idiot, but sometimes by proving that I'm not stupid, people get annoyed.

Anyway, as soon as the teacher had finished shouting at me, the fact that she had just written on the whiteboard (_there are 6 billion people on earth…) _changed. An extra point six appeared next to the six. I had guessed that the particles of dust in the air had jut landed on the board like that (even thought the chances of this happening are about a hundred billion to one) or someone had sneaked up and corrected it without me noticing. Still, it was odd.

And if I couldn't explain these events using science….

Mum looked up, having finished reading.

"Well, that's all very amusing-" 

"What does it mean, 'We await your owl'?"

Professor Burbage looked very pleased indeed.


End file.
